Reborn: Apocalypse Ready. War Goddess by My Side novel Chapter 24

Finished

Steven thought it over. “Say I awaken a Divine Sigil and end up at an Awakened Academy. If I joined your squad at that point, would you actually take me on missions?”

Peter scratched the back of his neck. “Honestly, we hadn’t thought that far ahead. The original idea was to bring you in after you graduated from the academy.

“If you wanted it sooner, the captain would have to sign off on it. He’d probably put you through a combat assessment first.”

Steven raised an eyebrow. “And the academy would allow it?”

“Don’t worry about that part. The captain has ways. The only thing that matters is whether your combat strength is actually there.”

Steven nodded slowly. “Got it. Give me some time to think.”

Peter nodded back. “Take all the time you need.” He fixed Steven with a pointed look. “And if you actually end up on the same squad as me, just know I will make your life extremely difficult.”

“Is this how you recruit people? You haven’t even gotten me in the door yet and you’re already threatening me?”

“Keep it up and I’ll go join someone else’s squad.”

Peter exhaled sharply. “Fine by me!”

Steven laughed.

He actually liked this guy.

After graduating from an Awakened Academy, most people had three roads in front of them.

The first was for those whose talent had plateaued: stay ordinary, take a teaching position at one of the Divine Awakening high schools, or find some other undemanding way to fill the

years.

Those with real talent, or exceptional talent, could walk the second road and join an Awakened Squad, living on the razor’s edge for rewards that made the risk worth bleeding for.

The third road was the military.

Pass the entrance evaluation, survive the years of cultivated training inside the military machine, and if your strength and talent were genuinely exceptional, you might earn a place in

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Chapter 24 Absorption

one of the three Celestial Armies.

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Failing that, there was still a place as a stronghold guardian, or a role within one of Draconia’s official institutions: the Inspectorate, the Hall of Punishers, the Chamber of Monitors. None of those were paths to be looked down on.

But Steven understood exactly where his talent stood.

The military was out of the question.

With what he had right now, his ceiling was another Awakened Squad, and that was the honest truth of it.

He’d join up, quietly receive Ember Eternal’s protection from the shadows, and build himself up step by careful step.

Peter noticed him staring into space.

“Here’s my contact info.” He slid something across the table. “Think it over and reach out whenever you’re ready. Though honestly, you should probably wait until after Divine Awakening before you decide anything. I’m heading out.”

“Hold on, old man Peter.”

Peter’s eye twitched with the weariness of a man running low on patience. “Spit it out.”

Steven extended his hand across the table. “You got any beast crystal on you? Hand over a few.”

“What do you want beast crystal for? You trying to sell it?”

“Do I look like that kind of person to you?”

“Honestly? A little.”

Steven went quiet.

“I have a use for them, I’m doing some research. Stop asking questions and just give me a few. Level one is fine.”

Peter stared at him for a long second. This kid asked for things with the energy of someone doing you a favor by letting you help him.

Dammit…

With a great deal of under–his–breath muttering, Peter reached into his space converter and dropped several beast crystals onto the table. Then he walked away without looking back.

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Every time he crossed paths with this kid, something went sideways.

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But once he’d put a little distance between them, a small, reluctant smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

Steven looked at the crystals sitting on the table.

Perfect.

Home. Experiments tonight.

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“Beast Energy Conversion In Progress.”

Every second in that state was another second of the golden light’s punishment pressing into him from all directions. It cracked at the edges of his mind.

It made him want to tear himself loose from his own.skin.

He didn’t know how long it lasted.

Eventually the golden light dimmed, and the pain began to ebb.

His thoughts reorganized themselves, and the virtual panel surfaced before his eyes.

“Beast Energy Conversion.

“Conversion Progress: 6/1,000,000.

“Beast Energy Talent: Eye of Insight 0+1.

“Divine Sigil (Unawakened).

“Spirit: 11+0.

“Strength: 11+5.

“Agility: 11+0.

“Speed: 11+0.”

Steven stared at the numbers.

“What is this? Why did everything go into Strength this time?

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“All five base stats were affected last time. This time only Strength went up, and the Eye of Insight didn’t improve at all. So why was the first conversion different?”

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